I Tried To Change
by Piper Emerald
Summary: Firebenders were here. How was this possible? How did it take so long for me to notice? It had to be spelled out for me. That didn't matter, I had to do something. I couldn't just stand by when Firenation spies were loose in the city. Oneshot, (I own nothing). Jet's thoughts in episode 13 season 3.


Firebenders were here. How was this possible? How did it take so long for me to notice? It had to be spelled out for me. That didn't matter, I had to do something. I couldn't just stand by when Firenation spies were loose in the city.

* * *

"Jet, you saw a man with a hot cup of tea, that doesn't prove he's a Firebender. And what if he is? Are we supposed to attack them? I thought we were starting over here, changing our ways." I refused to let Smellerbee's questions give me second thoughts.

"We are", I answered. "When I get the evidence I need, I'll report them to the police and let them handle it." I said as I followed the Firebenders.

I didn't give my friends a second glance. They were doubting me, but I could prove them wrong. I was changing, and that meant that I had to do the right thing. Exposing these Firebenders was the right thing.

I stood next to the window of the tea shop. I heard talking, but couldn't make out what was being said. I leaned closer, but quickly backed away as tea was tossed out of the window. That was a close one, but I didn't let it shake me. I still didn't have the evidence that I needed.

* * *

"Have you seen our spark rocks to heat up the water?" The old man called to his nephew. I was crouched on the rooftop across from their rooms.

"They're not there, you'll have to firebend, old man." I smirked as I said this to myself, looking down at the rocks in my hand. It had been to easy to sneak into the room and take them. This didn't count as stealing, it was for the grater good, and how much was a couple of spark rocks wroth anyway? "Where are you going?" He had left the room unexpectedly.

"I borrowed our neighbors, such kind people." He said as he reentered the room and light the wood under his teapot. This was turning out to be harder than I though, but I wasn't giving up.

* * *

"Jet, we need to talk!"

"What?" I wheeled around, startled, to find Smellerbee and Longshot standing next to me. "Oh, great it's you guys. Where have you been? I could use some help with surveillance here." We were standing in a dark ally next to the tea shop. I hadn't noticed that how late it had become, but the sun had already gone down.

"We've been talking, and we think you're becoming obsessed with this. It's unhealthy." Smellerbee said.

"You both think this?" I asked, taken a back.

"We came here to make a fresh start, but you won't let this go, even though there's no real proof!"

"Well, maybe if you'd help me-"

"Jet, you gotta stop this."

"Maybe you've forgotten why we need to start over! Maybe you've forgotten how the Firenotion left us all homeless! How they whipped out all the people we love!" I tried to keep control of the anger that I was now feeling. "If you don't wanna help me, I'll get the evidence on my own."

I turned from them and walked towards the tea shop. Each step that I took echoed in my head. I stormed into the shop. "I'm tired of waiting", I declared. "These two men are firebenders!" I drew my hooked swords as I said this. People rushed out of my path, leaving the two directly in front of me, but a few feet away. "I know they're firebenders, I saw the the old man heating his tea."

"He works in a tea shop", said one of the solders who hadn't even bothered to stand up from his table.

"He's a firebender, I'm telling you!"

"Drop your swords, boy." The solder said, rising. "Nice and easy." I ignored him and advanced towards the firebenders.

"You'll have to defend yourselves", I challenged. "Go ahead, show them what you can do."

"You want a show?" The younger one said, as he took the swords of one of the solders. "I'll give you a show."

He kicked a table at me, but I jumped over it, lunging at him. I sliced the table that he had jumped on, but he landed smoothly. I aimed a strike at him, and he parried. Our swords met, he was stronger than I had expected. He pushed hard and I jumped backwards, out of the tea shop. I would have a better chance at winning this fight if we weren't in the cramped room.

"You must be getting tired of using those swords", I taunted. "Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me? Bet you wish you could help yourself out with a little fire blast." He pined one of my swords to the ground with his own.  
"You're the one who needs help", he retorted.

I jumped backward, on to the well at the middle of the square. "You see that", I said to the crowd that had gathered around us. "The Firenation is trying to silence me, it'll never happen!"

We continued to fight, each with one sword. Soon the Dai Li had arrived to break up the fight. "Drop your weapons", One of them said calmly.

"Arrest them! They're Firebenders!" I shouted.

"This pour boy is confused." Said the old man. "We're just refugees."

"This young man recked my tea shop and assaulted my employes!" The owner of the tea shop said to the Dai Li.

"It's tue sir, we saw the whole thing." Said one of the soldiers. "This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city."

"Come with us son", the Dai Li said as the pulled my sword from my hand and hand bent earth around my heads, making it unable for me to move them.  
"You don't understand! They're Firenation! You have to believe me!" I shouted as they pulled me into the back of their truck.

I could see the faces of the people who had been watching the fight. Most of them seemed confused, but a few of them had a look of pity spread across their faces. I expected that Smellerbee and Longshot were in that crowd, but I my eyes didn't have the chance to scan for them.

My gaze met the Firebenders, as the truck pulled away. The old man seemed to be feeling sorry for me, but the one who I had been fighting had a look of anger plastered across his face. I'm sure I looked just as angry, if not more.

How could I let this happen? Why couldn't I have just let go and started a different life here like I had planed to? I hadn't even tried to change like I had meant to. This was my price for all of the wrong things that I had done in an attempt to exact my revenge on the Firenation.


End file.
